Steensn, what do you want me to say? Apathy has set in for me and I now view Michigan much like I have the Lions for the past several years. Yesterday was the first time in years that I didn't swear during a UM game because I expected failure and am no longer emotionally invested in this team as long as DickRod is the coach. Simply put, I no longer care.

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November 8th, 2009, 12:38 pm

steensn

RIP Killer

Joined: June 26th, 2006, 1:03 pmPosts: 13429

Ouch... that sucks... I've always loved the UM/OSU rivalry. It has always been the top rivalry in the nation. But I don't know I can say that with the latest developments.

"Of course we're all concerned, but the message is simple: to have patience," Martin said. "Those who stay will be champions. That's what Bo [Schembechler] always said. I am all in for Rich Rodriguez. He will get the job done for us. He has assembled an excellent staff. He has got my full support."

Michigan is 5-5, 1-5 in the Big Ten in Rodriguez's second season. The Wolverines have lost five of six games and must win at Wisconsin or against Ohio State to avoid missing a bowl game for a second consecutive season.

"It is important for us to go to bowl games of course because we've always done it," Martin said. "And we want to go again this year and every year. We're in a very challenging transition at this time but I am very optimistic about the future."

Martin, who hired Rodriguez but will be retiring after this season, said there are positive signs.

"Bear in mind that we have a very young team," Martin said. "We have over seventy percent of our kids are freshmen or sophomores. We are starting a freshman quarterback. We are only using 70 of our 85 scholarships. We've got a lot of room to recruit a lot of great players. And our players have bought into Coach Rod and his staff and the system."

Martin called out Michigan's defensive performance.

"Our offense is putting points on the board," he said. "There is no question also that we really need to see some significant improvement on the defensive side."

It used to be UofM and Notre Dame were neck and neck. Well, until the last couple of years, Notre Dame sucked for most of the last decade.

So, you see, we can't afford to have anymore seasons like the last couple. I do not want to lose that #1 all time winningest team title.

November 15th, 2009, 12:08 am

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3122

Lionman3 wrote:

well Stanford just went into LA and lit up USC again can Someone please call HARBAUGH ????

USC sucks this year (no knock on them--they lost a first round QB, 2 first LBs, 1 second round LB among others...). Yet, somehow, they'll still be ranked top 20. I love media bias.

You have to give RichRod at least another year. His guys are freshman and sophomores. You're not even seeing the full potential of the system, and if you fire him now and change systems its just going to make it worse. You can't constantly try to rebuild.

November 15th, 2009, 5:07 am

steensn

RIP Killer

Joined: June 26th, 2006, 1:03 pmPosts: 13429

Some salt...

Quote:

4. The Big Ten hierarchy is set: It took a while, but the Big Ten has some well-defined tiers heading into the final week of conference play. Ohio State and Iowa are clearly at the top, followed by Wisconsin and Penn State in the second tier. Northwestern and Michigan State have separated themselves in the next tier, followed by Purdue and Indiana. Illinois and Michigan are at the bottom, as both teams have been major disappointments given preseason expectations.

I am seeing some frightening parallels here between Rich Rodriguez and Matt Millen.

In 2001, Millen took over a team that went 9-7 the previous season and had records of 2-14 and 3-13 in his first two years. In 2008, Rodriguez took over a team that went 9-4 the previous season and had records of 3-9 and (soon to be) 5-7 in his first two years.

Millen hired a coach who changed the offensive scheme to the WCO, even though he didn't have the personnel to run it effectively. RichRod changed the offensive scheme to the spread option and the defensive scheme to the 3-3-5, even though he didn't have the personnel to run it effectively.

Millen made massive personnel changes to acquire players that fit the scheme (example: cut Morton in favor of Schroeder and Hakim) even though the newer players weren't as talented. RichRod caused players that didn't fit the scheme to transfer (Mallett, Boren) and recruited players who did (Forcier, Robinson) even though the newer players weren't as talented.

Millen caused controversy by calling a player a "devout coward" and another a "faggot". RichRod caused controversy by the WVU lawsuit, the shredding of documents, and causing an NCAA investigation over practice .

Millen's boss (Ford) gave him a vote of confidence and said to "give him time" even though the fans were frustrated. RichRod's boss (Martin) gave him a vote of confidence and said to "give him time" even though the fans/alumni were frustrated.

Are we going to allow history to repeat itself here or are we going to learn from previous mistakes? It was said that Millen was in over his head and the same is being said about RichRod. Should the Michigan program cut it's losses now and move forward? Or should they stay the course only to find the program in the same disarray years from now that the Lions are in today?

I say it's time for the clown to go now before he destroys the program any more than he already has. Just take a look at his incoming recruiting class (assuming that many of them don't de-commit). It's full of slot WRs, RBs, and QBs instead of defensive players and offensive linemen. If he remains much longer, the program is only going to get worse before it gets better.

_________________

November 15th, 2009, 12:30 pm

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3122

Quote:

Rodriguez took over a team that went 9-4 the previous season

Misleading.

The team he took over lost to App state and was mediocre at best. Plus, all of that teams major players were seniors, and left before RichRod got there.

I think Forcier will be as talented (from a college football standpoint) as Mallet when its all said and done.

Quote:

I say it's time for the clown to go now before he destroys the program any more than he already has. Just take a look at his incoming recruiting class (assuming that many of them don't de-commit). It's full of slot WRs, RBs, and QBs instead of defensive players and offensive linemen. If he remains much longer, the program is only going to get worse before it gets better.

If they fire him after this season (which they won't because that would be stupid) I'm really going to be interested in what you have to say when they go 4-8 next season.

November 15th, 2009, 5:22 pm

wjb21ndtown

Mallet wouldn't have left if he could have started at MI last year. He was more or less told by Rich Rod that he wasn't starting by Rich Rod saying that Terrel Pryor would start if he came to MI. IF Mallet would have stayed and the ONLY difference on that team would have been the addition of Ryan Mallet, we would have won at least 2-3 more games and would have likely went to a bowl game, keeping their 44 year straight bowl game invites in tact...

That's a huge difference for the program. Really, this team right now would be better off with Ryan Mallet starting over Forcier. I don't doubt that Forcier is going to be the better opion in the long-run and I realize that he more fits Rich Rod's system, but this team could use the leadership that a senior Qb brings to the table. Boren has also proven to be a huge loss, as U of M's O-line is the primary reason that we've been losing...

November 15th, 2009, 5:59 pm

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3122

wjb21ndtown wrote:

Mallet wouldn't have left if he could have started at MI last year. He was more or less told by Rich Rod that he wasn't starting by Rich Rod saying that Terrel Pryor would start if he came to MI. IF Mallet would have stayed and the ONLY difference on that team would have been the addition of Ryan Mallet, we would have won at least 2-3 more games and would have likely went to a bowl game, keeping their 44 year straight bowl game invites in tact...

That's a huge difference for the program. Really, this team right now would be better off with Ryan Mallet starting over Forcier. I don't doubt that Forcier is going to be the better opion in the long-run and I realize that he more fits Rich Rod's system, but this team could use the leadership that a senior Qb brings to the table. Boren has also proven to be a huge loss, as U of M's O-line is the primary reason that we've been losing...

I still live in Ann Arbor and I have friends in the athletic department.

Mallet was an arrogant douche from day one. Lloyd Carr actually told him to transfer halfway through the 2007 season.

I suppose that, theoretically speaking, had the new coach came in and begged him not to leave--Mallet might've stayed. Otherwise he was transferring, even if Carr had not retired.

I don't know how you can say o-line play is the number 1 reason for UM's losses. I would say its the 9 players on defense other than Grahm and Warren.

Blueskies, no offense, but you sound like the ultimate Michigan slappy, so I can no longer take you seriously. But, I would like you to answer one question for me. Can you name one redeeming quality about Rich Rodriguez that makes you want to keep him around? Is it his play calling? His time management skills? His recruiting? His half-time adjustments? His sideline composure? His teaching ability? His press conference skills? His ability to motivate his players?

Personally, I can't find a single reason to keep this guy because he sucks at everything I mentioned above IMO. If you can think of something, anything, please let me know.

_________________

November 15th, 2009, 9:01 pm

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3122

Quote:

Blueskies, no offense, but you sound like the ultimate Michigan slappy, so I can no longer take you seriously.

Translation: I have no logical counters to any of your arguments, so I'm just going to ignore them.

You can call me a Michigan slappy if you wish--but you're biased in your anti-RichRod feelings. You don't like him because he's not part of the old guard, and, even if Michigan was having a good season, you'd still find a reason to dismiss it.

Quote:

Personally, I can't find a single reason to keep this guy because he sucks at everything I mentioned above IMO. If you can think of something, anything, please let me know.

Rich Rod was, prior to leaving WVU, a highly regarded, highly sought after college football coach. Remember the Alabama offer? Why do you think WVU and their fans were so upset to see him go? Because he's a great coach.

Yeah, he's hit a bit of a rough patch, I can't deny that. But you have to be realistic and give him at least one more year. If he doesn't get at least 8 wins next year, then you can fire him. Firing him now would be retarded because his players are very young and he still hasn't fully implemented his system.

It's true that keeping him around for another season is a bit of a gamble because you could turn out to be right and he could be a complete failure. However, its a gamble to take, because if you do fire him and bring in someone like Brian Kelly--now you've set back the program another two years, and hey--what if Brian Kelly sucks too? Then what do you do? Now you're just a national joke like ND.

Give Rod one more year and a minimum of an 8 win season to keep his job. Falling short of that, you fire him. But firing him now is premature and will do more harm than good.

Translation: I have no logical counters to any of your arguments, so I'm just going to ignore them.

What logical arguments are you referring to? That he doesn't have his players in place or fully implemented his system? That much may be true, but tell me one single thing that he does well. The primary problem is that you can't because he doesn't do anything well. Other than the years that he had Pat White, he was barely a .500 coach. He doesn't call plays well. He doesn't motivate players well. He doesn't manage time or the game well. He doesn't make adjustments well. He doesn't put his players in a position to suceed well. He doesn't coach up the players to where they improve well. He doesn't improve the program's image well. He doesn't recruit well. he doesn't adapt to player strengths well.

Please, just tell me one thing that he does well.

Blueskies wrote:

You can call me a Michigan slappy if you wish--but you're biased in your anti-RichRod feelings. You don't like him because he's not part of the old guard, and, even if Michigan was having a good season, you'd still find a reason to dismiss it.

You're wrong yet again. Go back and look at the archives of this forum. I fully supported the hire at the time. However, I did question the use of the 3-3-5 defense in the Big Ten and hoped that he would adapt. Unfortunately, he's too stubborn to change and/or adapt and that's one of the primary reasons why he is failing. And most importantly, the primary reason why he will never succeed at Michigan. It's better to cut him loose now before it gets worse because of it.